


May 26th 2017

by orphan_account



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:27:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22300306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Chrissie walks in on Aaron & Rebecca. A continuation of the May 26th episode from 2017.
Relationships: Aaron Dingle & Chrissie White, Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden (past)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	May 26th 2017

**Author's Note:**

> I found this when I was clearing out files and decided to post it. Not much to it, but I always wished the show had more Aaron & Chrissie interactions post-affair reveal.

“JUST STAY AWAY FROM HIM!”

  
Chrissie huffs, her heels already clicking against the floor as she shakes off Ronnie’s arm and heads toward the raised voice. She’s still trying to adjust to this new world where Rebecca is pregnant with Robert’s child – and not even for the first time, apparently – but she won’t let Aaron Dingle of all people guilt-trip her sister, no matter how poor Rebecca has shown her decision making ability to be. When she snatches the door open, she sees Rebecca, one hand clutching her stomach, the other reaching for Aaron’s shoulder. Aaron is furiously wiping at his reddened face and jerks his shoulder back when Rebecca makes contact.

  
“Are you harassing her?” Chrissie intervenes, taking a step forward.

  
“Chrissie, it’s okay,” Rebecca begins, but Chrissie ignores her and strolls up to the pair.

  
“Don’t blame this on her. You knew exactly what a lying, cheating scumbag he was when you married him- or whatever you want to call it,” Chrissie accuses.

  
Up close she can see just how devastated Aaron looks, but she struggles to find any pity. She remembers the devastation she felt when he casually strolled into her kitchen and upturned her entire life and future in less than a minute. But neither does she feel the satisfaction she thought she would once Robert proved that he would never truly change for anyone. She had known for a long time that she didn’t love Robert anymore, but this situation feels like the final proof.

  
“Chrissie-

  
“I think you should go now,” Chrissie interrupts Rebecca to address Aaron, who continues to look dazed. A far cry from the arrogant, opportunistic man she thought him to be two years ago. Finally, he nods.

  
“You should go rest,” she tells Rebecca, “it’s been an eventful morning. I’ll see him out.”

  
Rebecca nods gratefully and gives Aaron a small, sad smile before leaving the room. Chrissie isn’t sure what Rebecca told him exactly, but judging from Aaron’s expression, it obviously had its impact.

  
Aaron turns to leave and instead of letting him go, she surprises herself by speaking up.

  
“You look awful. You might want to take a minute before you head out.”

  
“Why d’you care?” Aaron grunts, the first words she’s heard him spoken since his yell. His dismissal of her selfless and completely undeserved extension of kindness irritates her further and she’s annoyed she even bothered.

  
“I don’t. Leave looking terrible if you like. If not, you’re welcome to make use of the toilet. I’m sure you remember where it is,” she adds pointedly, unable to resist making a dig.

  
“Enjoyin’ this, are ya?” Aaron shoots back, and Chrissie pulls a face as he wipes at his nose with the back of his sleeve. Her annoyance is increased by the fact that he actually is heading in the right direction.

  
“That my sister is pregnant by my sociopathic ex-husband? Not exactly,” she breezes as she trails behind him, not exactly sure why. She knows he has a propensity for violence and criminality – like the rest of his heathen family – but she doesn’t think he’s in the proper headspace to steal anything. Aaron flashes her a look that could be interpreted as sympathetic, which only serves to make her even more uncomfortable.

  
“Followin’ me in, as well?” he asks dryly before he enters and shuts the door.

  
She rolls her eyes and doesn’t bother with a response, but she does stay in the area and few seconds later hears the faucet turn on. She remembers how hard it was for her to process the extent of Robert’s betrayal, how it filtered in slowly, bit by bit. He had cheated on her. With a man. In their bed. For months. With other men. Since they had been together. How stupid she had felt for ignoring Katie’s warnings - Katie who probably knew better than anyone what Robert was capable of - all in order to keep living in her bubble of delusion. She remembered the return of that old ache once she found out about Robert’s affair with Rebecca, how it made her question whether Robert had ever loved her at all, or if she had only been a convenient idiot he had laughed at while spending her money and sleeping with her sister. Where she used to feel pain at those memories with Robert, she now felt nothing; all those years had been an illusion and a waste of time, and she didn’t want to waste anymore. She had done her duty and warned Aaron – although admittedly, it was less out of concern for him and more to insult Robert – but she figures everyone is destined to learn the hard way with Robert Sugden. Her, Rebecca, Aaron, gosh, even her father. The thought makes her start laughing hysterically and she can’t stop, not even when Aaron comes out, the slightest eyebrow raise the only expression on his now tear-free face.

  
“You alright?” he asks cautiously, eyes darting about as if looking for possible assistance. She waves away his dubious concern and wipes at a stray tear. Then she looks past the open door and sees a towel strewn across the sink.

“That was a decorative towel, you idiot! The one you’re supposed to use is next to it, see!” she stresses, walking into the room and picking up the offensive towel.

Aaron frowns and shrugs.

  
“Sorry,” he says, not sounding very sorry at all and she sighs.

  
Even after she had accepted that Robert was attracted to men, his attraction to Aaron still managed to surprise her. Aaron was somewhat good looking she supposed, in a gruff, manual laborer sort of way, but he wasn’t particularly interesting or fun, certainly not successful or charming, and quite honestly, was decidedly low-class. Other than being the man who slept with her husband, she had mostly known him from his reputation for being a rather violent head case. She had always assumed someone as ambitious and scheming as Robert would be more selective in his choice of partner. On days where she had less charitable feelings toward Rebecca, she could easily understand Robert’s attraction to her – they were both manipulative, cunning, and charming in a slick, phony sort of way. But she could never quite work out what Aaron offered Robert long-term. Perhaps that’s why their marriage had gone up in flames even sooner than hers, she reasons.

  
“Well, considering who you are,” she begins, turning her attention to Aaron, “I suppose I should just be glad you know better than to use the bottom of your shirt.”  
Aaron rolls his eyes, the first expression he’s shown that doesn’t make him look quite so defeated, and heads toward the house’s exit. Before he crosses the threshold, he stops and turns back.

  
“Thanks,” he says seriously, squarely meeting her eyes.

  
She nods and before his hand closes on the handle, she speaks up. She absolutely refuses to feel pity for Aaron Dingle, but she can speak to her own experience.

  
“You’ll get over him. Eventually.”

  
He pauses briefly but says nothing as he pulls the door open and leaves. Chrissie feels the last vestiges of an old bitterness fall away and the vaguest sadness as a chapter of her life seems to close for good. Shaking her head at her maudlin attitude, she smooths down her skirt and heads up the stairs to check on her sister.


End file.
